Motor Oil in luggage

[Sumboodie]

I just shipped my son back to San Diego with a Milwaukee screw gun and impact. “No power tools” in carry on luggage but li ion batteries were fine. He got flagged at tsa and had to check the tools but had to carry the batteries in his backpack. Real brain trust stuff at work here.

It's because a lithium battery is HAZMAT. It's allowed in carry on because a fire would be detected fairly quickly and could be put out, vs if it happens in cargo.
Same with spare batteries for phone, laptops, etc. Supposed to be in carry on.

 

[Sumboodie]

You might be banned because it is flammable instead of hazmat. Imagine someone wants to bring a gallon of gasoline on a plane.

Now the cooking oil in Chinese flight by an old lady, I guess that's understandable. I was once trying to bring 3lbs of frozen broccoli back from Alaska because I couldn't finish all of that before my trip ends and I have space in my luggage.

Engine oil isn't flammable though. It has a flashpoint of around 400-500*. To be classed flammable, it would need to be under 100*

 

[Japanese]

You might be banned because it is flammable instead of hazmat. Imagine someone wants to bring a gallon of gasoline on a plane.

Motor oil is neither flammable or HAZMAT according to FAA and TSA too. It's combustible (read the next post). It just needs to be in the checked baggage because the carry-on baggage has liquid limitations of no more than 3.4 oz.

"Nonflammable oils include standards motor oils used in vehicles and food oils such as olive oil and corn oil are allowed in either carry on or checked baggage. Liquids in carry-on baggage are further limited to 100-ml (3.4 oz) containers at the TSA security checkpoint."
https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/oils#:~:text=The%20Transportation%20Security%20Administration%20(TSA)%20limits%20liquids,baggage%20because%20they%20use%20a%20flammable%20propellant.

Here are the links (I posted last year) to the TSA web pages regarding flammables and motor oil is not among those:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/motor-oil-in-luggage.400844/post-7400380

 

[Japanese]

Engine oil isn't flammable though. It has a flashpoint of around 400-500*. To be classed flammable, it would need to be under 100*

Right, motor/engine oil is not considered flammable but combustible. Also, motor oil autoignition temp. is between 500°-700°F. Paper autoignition is above 424°F. There is a book called Fahrenheit 451 which talks about burning forbidden books. So, paper is also combustible and has a lower autoignition temperature than motor oil.

Flammable vs Combustible: What’s the Difference?
"Flammable liquids burn at normal working temperatures while combustible liquids need heat before they will ignite. They also have different flashpoints. While we usually use the term to describe liquids, it is not the liquid that burns – it’s the vapor given off by the liquid."

 

[Sumboodie]

I would like to mention though, regardless of TSA, FFA, etc, the airline is the last authority on if it's allowed or not.

A good example is I believe only Alaska Air allows dogs to be flown as "luggage" anymore. I tried to book a flight with other than AK Air this fall having no idea of this and was surprised.
It's just a $150 oversized luggage charge with AK Air and a Vet health cert. I've brought my dogs to visit family many times over the years.

A few other airlines would fly dogs, but they are as cargo. To fly a 50lb dog from Ohio to Anchorage, American Air wanted around $700 this fall!